Ghillies seek review on seal management licencing

 The Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) Fishing Group are requesting a deeper look at the licencing scheme for the lethal management of grey seals in order to protect declining salmon populations.

Grey seals are well known to predate Atlantic salmon in estuarine environments, and there is growing evidence to suggest that they are pursuing them further upstream. However, despite the rising grey seal population, the Scottish government seem unwilling to grant licences to manage their numbers.

Only five licences, each allowing for a single seal to be culled, were issues across Scotland between 2021 and 2024. All were granted for “the conservation of Atlantic salmon in rivers”

A Spokesman for the SGA Fishing Group said: “Scotland’s river ghillies feel that seal licensing processes haven’t adapted to new realities when it comes to declining salmon stocks. It will be another five years before the next mandatory review. Given that salmon are now endangered, do we wait another five years when action can potentially be taken now?

“If we are to look again at licences for grey seals, for salmon conservation, good evidence is clearly needed. Ghillies are well placed to offer that evidence because they are on the rivers every day.”